Gift-giving Mustangs stumble

STOCKTON - Thursday's outcome at Nick Cecchetti Field was as painful as it gets for Reed Peters.

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By Mark Godi

recordnet.com

By Mark Godi

Posted Apr. 5, 2013 at 12:01 AM

By Mark Godi
Posted Apr. 5, 2013 at 12:01 AM

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STOCKTON - Thursday's outcome at Nick Cecchetti Field was as painful as it gets for Reed Peters.

The Delta College baseball coach watched as Cosumnes River broke a 2-2 tie in the ninth inning without getting a hit. The Hawks won 3-2 after pitcher Sean Bennetts hit the first batter of the inning and walked the next two, before being spelled by Eric Sandness.

The right-hander retired his first batter, but a run scored on a ground ball to second baseman Stevie Robinson. Josh Cosio hit the ball just soft enough that Robinson couldn't go home for an out and couldn't turn the double play. It was one of two Hawks' runs scored on a fielder's choice grounder.

"To start with, we have to be better offensively," Peters said. "And then you can't give them gifts like we did."

Bennetts took the loss after right-hander Sam Held went six-plus innings with a 2-0 lead. Held didn't allow a hit for five straight innings, until Bryan Case led off the seventh inning with a single. Two walks later, Held was done and Cosumnes River (12-13, 6-8 Big 8 Conference) tied the game with a single by Adam Castelan.

Held allowed two runs on four hits but was outdone by left-hander Zach Stilwell, who had an effective curveball that the Mustangs (19-7, 9-5) never figured out. He gave up one earned run on six hits with one walk.

The teams complete the three-game series at 1 p.m. Saturday in Elk Grove.

"(Stilwell) was their (best) guy," Peters said. "For one reason or another, they happened to go with him in Game 2."

Marcus Mastrobuoni led Delta by going 2 for 4 with a double and two RBI. Connor Torres was 2 for 3 with a double and a run. Each flew out to the right field warning track in the last inning.

"It's frustrating to have it go like this when the pitchers work so hard," Mastrobuoni said. "Sometimes, that's the breaks you get."